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- Get Pre-Qualified — before you can seriously consider purchasing a home, it's important to know exactly how much you can afford. This can be the scariest part of the buying process for some. It's perfectly natural to be nervous and to put you at ease, I can put you in touch with mortgage specialists that you can trust to help you get pre-qualified. (more about financing is included on the following pages)
- Always Think Resale — in Canada, on average, the length of ownership is between 7-10 years. This is important to keep in mind when looking for your next home. For instance, homes backing up to a busy street or railroad sell for less, and take longer to sell then other homes in the neighbourhood.
- Aesthetics Can Be Changed — flooring, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, paint colours and wall paper can all be changed. Don't let the lime green wallpaper or worn out broadloom turn you off of your potential dream home. Think of how much fun it will be to make a home yours!
- Compare Sales — to determine the best price to offer, or know if the asking price is correct, look at the recent sales of similar homes, called "comparable sales". Comparable sales are properties that have sold in the past few months and closely resemble the one you are looking to purchase. Specifically, you'll want to compare prices of homes that are similar in square footage, garage spaces, number of bedrooms and baths, lot size, etc. I will help you with this by providing a Buyers Market Analysis on properties you're interested in. Over the past year or so it's been known for sellers to ask well below their homes estimated value in order to create increased interest in the property. These homes often sell for well over asking, however, end up in keeping with market values for the neighbourhood.
- Don't WAIT! — too often, buyers fall in love with a property and think they can wait a few days to make a decision because they're nervous, and particularly in today's real estate market, the the home they fell in love sells before they know it! If you love a home, don't wait for someone else to live in YOUR home - be prepared to write an offer!